Christmas Shoes
by The All Real Numbers Symbol
Summary: Inspired by the song 'Christmas Shoes.' Pudding doesn't know how, but she's got to buy her mother these shoes for Christmas. Please R


**Dial R 4 Infinity Productions**

**presents**

**Christmas Shoes**

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**T.A.R.N.S:** So I was listening to this song the other day, and I thought, why not make a Tokyo Mew Mew Power fic based on this song? Then after I started to write it I got onto FFN and saw that someone else had beaten me to the punch. Then I decided, what the heck. I'll post it anyways.

So I am not trying to rip anyone off. I'm also sorry if it seem like I tried to. Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you people read.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the song.

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Zakuro Fujiwara stood in line at the checkout counter. She had forgotten to pick up a few items she would need for her 'Fabulous Christmas party' that she would be hosting on Christmas day, tomorrow.

'If only I hadn't given my assistant the day off." Zakuro thought. 'Then I wouldn't have to shopping right now.' The Christmas music playing through the store's loudspeakers was starting to grate on her nerves, and she was wondering who she could fire for her having to do this.

Ahead of her, also in line for the checkout, was a younger girl named Pudding Fong. Pudding waited patiently until the lady ahead of her was done, and then set up the box that she'd been holding. It was a shoebox.

Zakuro watched impassively as the girl in front of her set a shoebox up for the cashier to check out.

"So how have things been this year?" the cashier, whose name tag read 'Lettuce', asked.

"It's been pretty bad." Pudding replied.

"What do you mean?" Lettuce asked as she scanned the shoes.

Pudding's bottom lip quivered, and then she burst out, "My mom's been sick for a long time, and Daddy says she doesn't have much time. That's why I'm buying the shoes. I want Mommy to look beautiful if she goes to meet Jesus tonight."

Lettuce rang the purchase up. "$ 14.99." She said.

Pudding set a handful of yen up on the counter. Zakuro watched as she started to count it out.

A few moments later, Lettuce spoke up. "I'm sorry. You don't seem to have enough money."

"Oh no." Pudding tried to blink back tears. She searched her pockets anxiously. "What am I going to do? Momma always made Christmas special at our house, even though sometimes she had to go without. Somehow I've got to buy these Christmas shoes!"

A moment later, with tears in her eyes, Pudding said, "I guess I'll just have to put them back." She took the box and turned around to leave the line, and almost bumped into Zakuro.

"Excuse me miss," Pudding said, as she started to go around Zakuro.

"Wait!" Both Pudding and Lettuce stopped and looked at Zakuro.

"I'll buy those shoes for her." Zakuro said.

Pudding set the box back on the counter, and Zakuro handed the money to Lettuce, who bagged the shoes and handed them to Pudding.

Pudding then turned to look at Zakuro. "Thank you!" She said. "Thank you so much! This means more to me than you'll ever know." She took the bag and ran out of the store.

"That was really kind of you." Lettuce said as she started to scan Zakuro's items.

Zakuro nodded as she looked at the door Pudding had exited through.

_I guess that's what love is like in heaven. God must have sent that little girl to remind me what Christmas is all about._ Zakuro thought.

"Here you go." Lettuce handed her the bag with her items in it. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Zakuro replied, and she left the store, feeling much happier than she had when she entered it.

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**-Bonus-**

(For those of you who want to fit this ficlet into the Anime/Manga)

Pudding looked at the girl behind the register of the Café Mew Mew. Mew Zakuro was the last of the five girls to be recruited for the Tokyo Mew Mews.

But Pudding had seen her before.

She walked over the cash register, where Zakuro was ringing up someone's bill, and said, "Hey, Zakuro."

Without looking up, Zakuro said, "Yes?"

Pudding took a deep breath, and then said, "I wanted to thank you again for the shoes. My Mom really liked them."

Zakuro looked at Pudding as she walked away. She couldn't have been-? Well, you never know. Zakuro smiled to herself as she returned to her work at the cash register.

**Fin.**

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**T.A.R.N.S.: **And there you have it! Please review and tell me what you thought.

_Merry Christmas!_


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